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Friday, November 28, 2008

But its a (insert breed of dog here)!!

I hear this statement ALOT. More than I ever wish to hear...and I heard it said to my husband just recently when Crackers the JRT terrier was being...well....an ASS...he wanted a toy from one of my dogs and he wanted it NOW....

"Well...he IS a terrier"....

So the synonym for terrier is a**hole? Is that how this works? I DON'T THINK SO. After owning and working with several....I have learned ONE thing....terrier PEOPLE make what most see as a "terrier"....sure, they have their tendencies....but in my opinion, if expected to mind, will mind, if expected to act like as*es....they act like as*es...

Terriers are little dogs, that IS right..they are D-O-G-S. Canines---no different than my border collies...just smaller..and for that reason, apparently they turn into demons? Nooooooooo...they are dogs...they do things that are rewarding, and they don't do things that don't get them a reward...PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

THINGS I was told prior to getting our terrier...

Terriers don't have recalls--if they see a rabbit they are GONE--it is all instinct-----wanna bet? If I can call my border collies (who also work sheep off instinct) off a sheep...then I can (and DO) call Crackers off a rabbit/mole/butterfly whatever else he is hunting. There are TWO options...come or don't come. YOU figure out which one is more rewarding...I bet everyone reading this already knows the answer...well guess what..so does Crackers (GRIN).

Terriers destroy your house....um sure! If you LET THEM! Not sure where to even GO with this except...CRATE TRAINING...

Terriers will kill anything...again.....um sure! If you LET THEM! We have a pet rabbit and Crackers thinks he is a great friend!

Terriers are hard (if not impossible) to potty train because they are small dogs.....well ours is potty trained! Might take a little more time or patience....but it can be done!

There are many more...but those are the most common. Crackers is NOT a barky, hyper, crazy, destroying little terrorist...He is well mannered, great working and obedient little DOG.

Did I train him with "all positive"...hell no. Do I beat him...no. Do I expect him to be respectful and do as he is told...yes. And does he? Yes he does....very well for a young boy. Does he ever try to get away with stuff.....yes he sure does...is it because he is a terrier...nope. Just a smart animal trying to figure out what he can and cannot do.

HE DOES WHAT IS EXPECTED OF HIM.....set HIGH expectations and you get them! AMAZING!!!

OF course there are always exceptions...but...

Border Collies do NOT always nip peoples heels/ become OCD/neurotic messes.Golden Retrievers do not always chew your stuff or mouth your hands or bolt through doors.Jack Russell Terriers do not always get nasty with other dogs/kill things.

Dogs are what you LET THEM BE...

I am always amazed at some of the things people put up with to have a dog....I guarantee if this is what owning a dog is like..I would not have one:

Dog with no recall----all I have in my mind is, my dog running off, getting hit by a car with me screaming its name and it showing NO response---always being worried that it had its leash on....or that all the holes in a fence were plugged up etc--that is a LOT of anxiety!

Dogs going the bathroom on your carpet----I have 6 dogs in my house...the thought of that makes me cringe. I have a recently neutered 2 year old intact male that even with 2 females in full heat, didn't potty in my house....none of my dogs do that...Crackers had ONE accident as a 9 week old puppy! THAT IS IT...I can't even imagine living in a house like that.....just gross---of course I will be more tolerant of old old dogs....those with issues that cause that...but if your dog is peeing and pooping in your house...WHY do you not fix it!?!?!?!!? Or go to someone that can help!

Dogs telling YOU or your spouse/kids etc. to get off the couch/bed...EXCUSE ME.....I own all that stuff...and I own YOU. I would NEVER tolerate that behavior. EVER.

Why live like that? Why worry about your dog getting lose and running away? When training and guidance can fix all of that? Or lets not let that become an issue to begin with?

I praise my dogs, I give them treats and toys and probably spoil them a little too much..but they listen and they respect me. Bottom line.

Please remember that your dogs are a reflection of you as a trainer...Exercise your dog!!! That stops a LOT of issues right there!Do not put up with behaviors you don't like.Do not blame these behaviors on "well he is just a (insert breed here)".Dogs are not little people, treat them like dogs and you will have greater success!

Crackers is a Jack Russell Terrier, he is biddable, loves to work, has a great recall, doesn't kill things, doesn't bark and you would think he was a border collie......or maybe my border collies are like Jack Russells.....

OR....just maybe, I treat them all like dogs....and that is how they are all acting...like...well behaved.....dogs.......

We take lessons with Scott every month - which doesn't get us all that far in the whole herding realm of things, but we do it for something extra to do, and Gyp is enjoying it, its good for her confidence - she gets to be bossy. Scott and Jenny live about 45 minutes from us. Gyp came from them originally - i got her 2 years ago when she was almost 2.